Pioneer Press previews the 2016 St. Joseph football season.
Coach: Richard Petroski, entering first season
2015 record: 2-7 (0-1 Chicago Catholic League Red), did not advance to playoffs
Offense: Senior running back Guylon Moore and senior wideout Rashad Brown are key pieces of first-year coach Petroski’s spread offense, but senior quarterback Isaiah Davis will be the pivotal player if the Chargers are able to take a step forward. “He understands what we’re doing offensively, and he picked it up really quickly,” Petroski said. “He’s smart and he has a good, accurate arm.”
Defense: A 6-foot-3, 200-pound outside linebacker/defensive end, senior Kris Reid Jr. is garnering Division I interest. For now, he’ll team with junior free safety Zach Ford and junior tackle Shamar Mcdade-Bishop to lead a defense featuring a four-man front. “Coming off the edge, there aren’t many people able to stop (Reid),” Petroski said. “He’s going to be exciting to watch.”
Strong side: Petroski said his Chargers have among the best skill position players in the area. “We’re going to surprise a lot of people. We have 16 seniors coming back this year,” he said. “It’s probably the strongest senior class we’ve had in 10 years.”
Weak side: Cliques can corrode team unity, and Petroski said making sure all his players were on the same page would be a point of emphasis. “If we become a team and not a group of individuals, with our senior leadership, we’ll be good,” he said.
Team tradition: Beginning this year, the Chargers will use the hashtag “joesmade” to every social media post, as a nod to tradition. “We want to uphold tradition, make it even better, and make our alumni proud of us,” Petroski said.
Quote: “With our skill guys and our linemen, I think we have a great chance this year. It’s one of the biggest senior classes we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Reid Jr. said. “Everybody is hungry, and everybody wants to be great this year.”
2016 Schedule
Aug. 26, Elmwood Park, 7:15 p.m.
Sept. 2, KELVYN PARK, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 9, United Township, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17, Lake Forest Academy, 12 p.m.
Sept. 23, ST. IGNATIUS, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 30, DEPAUL*, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 7, Brother Rice, 7:30 p.m.
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Oct. 15, Leo*, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21, AURORA CHRISTIAN, 7 p.m.
HOME GAMES IN BOLD
* Chicago Catholic Red game
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press